Commentaire sur La Genèse 22:10

וישלח...לשחוט את בנו, to first slaughter him before the fire would burn up the body. This is the usual procedure when meat offerings are brought on the altar.

ויקח את המאכלת, “he took the knife.” According to the Tanchuma quoted above, Yitzchak told his father: “when you tell my mother about what happened, do not tell her while she is standing on the roof or near a well so that she will not fall into the well or to the ground from shock.” When Avraham was about to slaughter Yitzchak, an angel called to him from the heaven calling out his name twice. The reason the angel had to repeat Avraham’s name was to stop him in time as Avraham was in such a hurry to complete his task and to slaughter Yitzchak. (compare Tanchuma Vayera 23). He said: “do not stretch out your hand, etc.” Avraham replied: “who are you?” The angel responded: “I am an angel of G’d.” Avraham retorted: “when I was instructed to offer Yitzchak as a sacrifice G’d told me personally. Now that He apparently wants me to desist, He would have to tell me personally.” Thereupon the Torah (verse 16) writes: “An angel called out to Avraham a second time from the heaven saying to Avraham: “I have sworn an oath by Myself says the Lord, etc.” When Avraham heard this he said “You have sworn;” “I have also sworn an oath that I will not descend from this altar until I have said to You what is on my mind. Did You not first say to me כה יהיה זרעך, ‘this is how numerous your descendants will be?’ Who did You have in mind would be the one from whom these descendants would come forth?” G’d answered “from Yitzchak.” Thereupon Avraham said This is the sort of thing I meant to answer you: ‘Yesterday You told me that my descendants will be known though Yitzchak and now You told me to offer him as a burnt-offering! I suppressed my impulse to ask You all these questions. Now, if and when my descendants will sin and they will experience difficulties, I want You to suppress Your feelings when You punish them remembering that I suppressed my inclination to ask You some embarrassing questions. I want You to consider as if Yitzchak’s ashes had already been piled up on this altar, as if his blood had been sprinkled on it and as a result You will forgive the transgressions of my offspring.”

ויקח את המאכלת, “he took hold of the knife.” This was the knife that would be used in cutting up the flesh of an offering after the animal‘s throat had been cut. A different view. The word is used metaphorically, (based on the meaning if אכל “eating,” as the root of the word) it is the instrument that since that time has been feeding Israel throughout history since that time as we all still benefit from Avraham’s having passed this “test.”